FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys open the 2021 NFL regular season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 9 at Raymond James Stadium. The Cowboys finished in third place in the NFC East with a 6-10 record in 2020, and have missed the playoffs the past two seasons.
While Dak Prescott has not played in the preseason, Cooper Rush beat out Garrett Gilbert for the No. 2 quarterback job. But the Cowboys firmly believe Prescott will be ready for the opener after he suffered a latissimus strain in his right shoulder.
The Cowboys' roster is top-heavy with high-priced stars and they will be counting on low-cost veterans and draft picks to step up. Will those players be able to come through if called upon due to injury or ineffectiveness? Coach Mike McCarthy often points out the Green Bay Packers needed 77 players when they won the Super Bowl in 2010. The good news is that younger players, such as wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, cornerback Trevon Diggs and linebacker Micah Parsons, appear ready for big-time roles.
The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Here is a projection:
QUARTERBACK (2): Prescott, Rush
All eyes will be on Prescott because of his return from a major ankle injury as well as his inactivity for a good portion of training camp because of the shoulder injury. He might need time to work back to full effectiveness. While Rush made a late push to claim the backup job over Gilbert, the Cowboys could still be on the lookout for outside help, too.